Jesus Forgives Peter's Denials


For the season of Lent I'll be sharing devotions from Grace Lutheran's devotional book: "Forgiven." 

While these devotions are not my words and may not represent my own faith or theological understanding, they are valuable personal faith perspectives of 40 of Grace's members and I am so grateful for their generosity in sharing them.

Part Five: All Can Be Forgiven

John 18:15-27, John 21:15-17  (Jesus forgives Peter’s denials)

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17)

 In these verses we see Peter’s Denial of Jesus three times followed by Jesus’ forgiveness of Peter after Jesus’ resurrection.  Jesus pointedly asked Peter, “Simon (Peter) Do you love me?”  To which Peter responds, “Yes Lord, You know that I love you.”  And the question persists for three times which is beginning to agitate Peter to the point that he feels hurt by Jesus.  It is entirely possible that Jesus after the resurrection is subtly reminding Peter of his denial of 3 times.  But what is even more important is Jesus act of forgiveness.  Peter denied Jesus 3 times and Jesus came back to him after the resurrection and asked for his confirmation of love to be forgiven and Jesus says, ”Feed my sheep.”  -- WOW! Here is Peter who played a role in Jesus death and he has been elevated to a role as a prime mover and leader for the Church moving forward.  If Jesus can forgive Peter, think of what we (you & I) have done through our lives.  We have not committed treason against the church or God and hopefully we have not committed murder but even if we have, ALL IS FORGIVEN.  That is such a freeing and uplifting thought to me – to know that whatever I have done, and whomever I have wronged in my life can be forgiven.  My soul lifts in praise saying, “Thank you Jesus!”
Prayer: 
  Dear Heavenly Father, 
 While I know that I am sinful and have committed offenses against you and my fellow brothers & sisters in Christ, I ask your forgiveness.  I affirm my love for you Jesus, as Peter did and I repeat,”Lord, you know that that I love you”.  My life would be nothing without you in it and I truly thank you for your forgiveness and the commitment that you have made in me.  Let me be an instrument of your love and forgiveness to others, in Jesus name.    Amen.
~ Darrell

Popular posts from this blog

The Gospel of Mark: Women at a Distance

There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.  These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. ~ Mark 15:40-41 Where have all the disciples gone?  What about the crowds? Whose left? Some women. Standing at a distance. These two verses have always been poignant to me. We get so little in any of the gospels about the women following Jesus. But here's what we know about them. First, they paid the bills. And second: they stuck around. They would be the ones to watch Jesus die and the ones to visit his tomb. One of the things I've noticed about Mark is how he is able to say so much about people even by using so few words.  About Judas we know his character despite getting so little about him. About the woman who anoints Jesus, we know her generosity despite not even knowing her n...
Read more

Transformed through Courage: Esther

Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying,  “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days.”  When they told Mordecai what Esther had said,  Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.  For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.”  Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai,  “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my beha...
Read more

The Gospel of Mark: The Crucifixion of Jesus

They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus.  Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull).  And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it.  And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.  The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.”  And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left.  Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days,  save yourself, and come down from the cross!”  In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himse...
Read more